Maxwell gets first-class shot with Aus A

Allrounder Glenn Maxwell has been handed a winter opportunity to impress in first-class cricket, called into the Australia A squad for two matches against South Africa A.

Maxwell replaces left-arm spinner and fellow Victorian Jon Holland, who has jetted off to Sri Lanka to replace an injured Stephen O'Keefe, after a hamstring strain prematurely ended the New South Wales left-arm spinner's tour.

Quick single: Holland a bolter for injured O'Keefe

Maxwell had been training with the Commonwealth Bank Bushrangers in Melbourne since returning from Australia's successful ODI tri-series campaign in the Caribbean last month.

He will now head to Brisbane, where the first match against South Africa A will begin at Allan Border Field on Saturday, with a second match beginning August 6 in Townsville.

Maxwell has long been open about his desire to add to his three Test caps, but was a notable omission from Australia's 15-man Test squad for the Qantas Tour of Sri Lanka, despite being part of the Test squad that would have visited Bangladesh last October if not for security concerns.

Australia’s limited-overs commitments – the one-day series against Sri Lanka begins August 21 – have regularly interrupted Maxwell's Sheffield Shield availability, meaning the Australia A matches present a welcome opportunity for the allrounder to push his credentials in the first-class format.

The 27-year-old played six matches for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield last summer, averaging 56 and falling just shy of a century when he was dismissed for 98 against Western Australia at the MCG in November.

Quick single: Aussies out to make history in Kandy

Following the release of the Test squad for Sri Lanka in May, Maxwell reaffirmed his goals of returning to the Test set-up as an allrounder – with Australia set to tour India early next year – revealing he had opted out of playing domestic cricket in England this year in order to focus on preseason training with Victoria.

"I was obviously a bit disappointed initially but having a look at the squad they've picked for Sri Lanka, I can understand," Maxwell said at the time of his omission from the Test squad.

"It's a really strong squad and I fully understand why I'm not in it.

"Competing with Nathan Lyon is always going to be tough.

"I've just got to improve my batting to the point where they can't resist having me as an allrounder and a back-up to him.

"I've decided not to play in England for the first time in four years. It might be a good chance to get a pre-season under my belt and spend a bit of time working on my game."

The second of the two matches against Australia A will played from August 6-9 in Townsville. 

Australia A skipper Peter Handscomb welcome the news his Bushrangers teammate would be joining him in Queensland.

"Maxi is one of my good mates and obviously another Victoria, so it's great for the Vics," Handscomb said in Brisbane on Friday.

"It's showing we're getting rewards for a couple good years winning the Shield back-to-back. 

"It'll be a great opportunity for Glenn, I know he's been pushing to get back into the Test side for while now and he's been working really hard, especially on his red-ball game. 

"So for him to get out here and showcase what he can do will be good for him and a great inclusion for our squad."

Every match of the Australia A winter series will be live streamed on cricket.com.au and the Cricket Australia Live App.

Full Australia A series details

Australia A squad to face South Africa A: Peter Handscomb (c), Cameron Bancroft, Scott Boland, Jake Lehmann, Glenn Maxwell, Joe Mennie, Kurtis Patterson, Matt Renshaw, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Chris Tremain, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall.

National Performance Squad: Sean Abbott (NSW), Hilton Cartwright (WA), Kyle Gardiner (WA), David Grant (SA), Sam Grimwade (Vic), Sam Harper (Vic), Sam Heazlett (Qld), Clint Hinchliffe (WA), Josh Inglis (WA), Caleb Jewell (Tas), David Moody (WA), Arjun Nair (NSW), Tom O'Donnell (Vic), Matthew Renshaw (Qld), Matthew Short (Vic), Mitchell Swepson (Qld).

South Africa A four-day squad: Stephen Cook (c), Qaasim Adams, Temba Bavuma, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Sisanda Magala, Keshav Maharaj, Duanne Olivier, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Omphile Ramela, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas, Hardus Viljoen 

South Africa A one-day squad: Wayne Parnell (c), Qaasim Adams, Marchant de Lange, Reeza Hendricks, Heino Kuhn, Eddie Leie, Sisanda Magala, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Malusi Siboto, Khaya Zondo, David Miller, Dane Vilas 

India A squad: Naman Ojha (capt), Faiz Fazal, Akhil Herwadkar, Shreyas Iyer, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Varun Aaron, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaydev Unadkat, Barinder Sran, Shahbaz Nadeem, Sanju Samson.

Fixtures

Four-day matches 

30 July – 2 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
6 August – 9 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville

One-day Series

13 August, South Africa A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
14 August, Australia A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
16 August, Australia A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
17 August, South Africa A v India A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
20 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
21 August, India A v NPS, Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville
24 August, NPS v Australia A, Harrup Park, Mackay
25 August, South Africa A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
27 August, NPS v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
28 August, Australia A v South Africa A, Harrup Park, Mackay
30 August, Australia A v India A, Harrup Park, Mackay
31 August, South Africa A v NPS, Harrup Park, Mackay
3 September; Final 3 v 4, Harrup Park, Mackay
4 September, Final 1 v 2, Harrup Park, Mackay

Four-day matches

8-11 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane
15-18 September, Australia A v India A, Allan Border Field, Brisbane